Speakers:
The Program
Allyship in action is a process. We all start in different places. Sorting out our biases, our privileges, our emotions, is the inside work. But how do we road test the fire hose of learning to evolve our humanity and expand our empathy? Looking to perfection is the enemy of the good and stalls our growth and our community progress. The goal isn’t perfection, the goal is leading from the heart. Doing the work and working together is where the breakthroughs come in. The reality is, we have to get creative in order to find ways to connect, collaborate and support each other as we learn. For 2020, the Better Man Conference will do what we have done for the last five years, learn how to be a better you.
We’ve designed a program that will give attendees the tools to go inside and explore their own experiences then provide the guidance and support to move out into the public to try on their expanded empathy in a virtual setting.
For the Virtual Conferences, our day will follow the schedule below. All times are in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, timing is approximate.
Doors open
At 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time we will welcome attendees, and get grounded in the space with an icebreaker led by our inimitable emcee Eduardo Placer. Our sponsor spotlight will feature Joe Russo, SVP of Network Operations with Verizon.
Healthy: Removing Our Masks With Ashanti Branch
At 11:45 AM we will shift into the first learning block with an exercise that will serve us throughout the day. Ashanti Branch, Founder of the Ever Forward Club will lead us through an exercise showing how unconscious Masculinity could be termed “Mask-ulinity. Culture demands that we wear a mask at work and socially that hides who we really are. The intent of these masks is to keep us safe and effective, but the impact is that we lose sight of who we are and others never know us. Heart-Based Leadership – belonging and being effective demands that we bring all of ourselves to work. Given our conditioning, this means taking off the mask.
Masculinity: The Long Overdue Remake with Mark Greene, Sean Coleman, Jim Massey & Hayward Williams
At 12:30 PM, Mark Greene, Founder of Remaking Manhood will launch a discussion on how the “man box” and how man box rules control how we interact and where we hold back and exclude others. Privilege-driven choices and actions exacerbate exclusion by operating behind the curtain. Privilege is a fact – it exists; the choice is to use privilege to exclude or to include. When we can be accountable for our privilege, a wider world of relationship opens up. We are, indeed, “better together when we’re in it together.” We will teach what the man box culture is about and explore healthy masculinity is in the context of allyship and leadership through conversation with three male identified leaders, Sean Coleman, Founder of Destination Tomorrow, Jim Massey, Global Sustainability Executive and Hayward Williams VP, HR-Global Operations and Enterprise EI&D at Tapestry.
Inclusive: From isolation to inclusion With Dr. Saliha Bava & Elfi Martinez
After a lunch break, we will reconvene at 2:00 PM with an engaging session led by Dr. Saliha Bava, a Professor at Mercy College and Co-founder of ThinkPlay Partners and Elfi Martinez, Senior Director at Jennifer Brown Consulting who will lead the audience in exploring the connection between identity and inclusion and the value of connection in creating the conditions for belonging. Participants will move through empathy building exercises, storytelling and conversation to help them shift from silos into impactful action.
Action: from allyship to activated advocacy — Being The Change With Dr. Maysa Akbar, Ray Arata, Jennifer Brown & Eduardo Placer
At 3:00 PM we will hear from experts in the field of inclusion. With an understanding that allyship is where we begin, Jennifer Brown, CEO and Founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting, Maysa Akbar, CEO and founder of Integrated Wellness Group, and Founder of the Better Man Conference, Ray Arata will each provide their perspective on what is possible with actionable allyship, followed by an audience driven discussion on best practices for executing in real time.
